1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the construction of buildings, and more particularly, to a combination of multi-unit living or other areas in conjunction with both an educational facility and a relatively large body of contained water adapted to provide habitat for marine life.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The popularity of observatories or aquariums for the display of living aquatic animals is well recognized; likewise, scientific and cultural interpretive displays, such as found in museums worldwide, enhance a visitor's enjoyment of and education regarding the exhibited subject matter, often local or regional in nature. Numerous facilities have been constructed to provide a public display of marine life and interpretive informational displays, such as the open-air, tank installations in the state of Florida and the various enclosed aquariums. Moreover, the popularity with tourists of the culture and science of a geographic region to which they have travelled invites the concept of combining informational interpretive displays, living exhibits such as an aquatic animal display, and dwelling units to provide a comprehensive building complex for introduction of the region's attractions to the tourist.
Various inventions may be found applied to narrow fields in the prior art; but, each fails to provide a comprehensive approach to the education, enjoyment and comfort of a visitor. For example, submerged off-shore facilities have been provided which allow visitors to observe marine life, both as contained in tanks therein as well as in the surrounding sea water. Examples of such structures include U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,532 issued Feb. 5, 1980 to Kahn; U.S. Pat. No. 739,961 issued Sep. 29, 1903 to Weisker; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,118 issued Feb. 27, 1990 to Thiemann, III. Pool facilities intended for recreational scuba diving and simulative seaside bathing are also known; exemplary patents describing such structures include U.S. Pat. No. 1,572,463 issued Feb. 9, 1926 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,326 issued Mar. 6, 1990 to Tasuro Nakamura (also published in Japanese publication No. 1-263365 dated Oct. 19, 1989). Floating facilities are also provided in the prior art, showing a broad range of applications. U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,080 issued Feb. 12, 1974 to Sjoberg describes a floating or land based modular assembly for housing; U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,991 issued Jan. 9, 1973 to Barkley describes a buoyant submarine home; U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,495 issued Jul. 22, 1975 to Akazaki et al. describes an pleasure boat for observation of underwater and sea-bottom ecology; Japanese published application No. 3-293480 dated Apr. 10, 1990 by Hida describes a domed floating facility having direct access to seawater for scuba diving training.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,989 issued Jun. 13, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,465 issued Sep. 25, 1990, both to the present inventor, Jacques S. Levy, describe a marine habitat combined with an above and below grade dwelling. The building installation includes a multi-level development with several stacked levels each offering a plurality of adjacent units suitable as residential units or the like. A centrally located excavation for a water containment structure is adapted to provide a habitat for marine life. Windows in the wall of at least one level juxtaposed with the water containment structure permit direct observation of the marine life; walkways and stairways exteriorly of both sides of the building levels allow ready movement of occupants between all levels.
The present invention offers improvements over the above mentioned public facilities and those disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,989 issued Jun. 13, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,465 issued Sep. 25, 1990. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.